Seership (Seers)

Seership is the ability or gift of some people to see into the spirit realm/world. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul exorts the body of Christ to pursue all the gifts: "earnestly desire the greater gifts" (1 Cor. 12:31 NASB). We're all called to pursue all of the spiritual gifts, and this includes seeing in the spirit. God created us to have an appetite for the supernatural. We are not physical beings who occasionally have a temporary supernatural experience but rather supernatural beings who have a temporary physical experience. Christian seership is considered by many to be part of the gift of "discerning of spirits" (1 Corinthians 12:10). Seership is not exclusive to Christians and more people than we might think have this ability. Children often see real things in the spirit realm, sometimes colored dots, orbs and objects, and sometimes the myriad of entities that exist in the spiritual dimensions/realms/planes. There is a very complex spiritual world which includes many realms in heaven and hell, and people have different types of access to different dimensions to see different things.

It has been said that "all seers are prophets but not all prophets are seers." I disagree unless we clarify this statement and define what we mean. Many "seers" are not Christians and a quick Internet search will reveal this. If we keep to one of the definitions of prophecy as being forthtelling truth (speaking truth), not all of these seers are neccesarily speaking truth, as their source can even be demonic. In addition, a seer may also keep the revelations to themself. Some seers apparently start out scared by their gift and don't share it with others. Many choose to block it and never use it again. Kids are often thought to be seeing imaginary friends or monsters, and many parents tell them what they are seeing is not real. Sometimes this is true but often it is not. I agree that not all prophets are seers as they can receive their messages without seeing anything in the spirit, and just receiving a message (e.g. audible, in words or concepts, pictures, feelings, etc).

I believe we as believers have 15 senses, 5 in our body, 5 in our soul, and 5 in our spirit. God can these to allow us to encounter the Kingdom of God "on earth as it is in heaven." It is also thought by some that our pineal gland, referred to as our "mind's eye" or "third eye," is what enables us to have this visual with the unseen but that has not been proven.

God speaks to Christian seers through dreams, visions and/or trances. These are all found throughout the Bible as valid means of receiving messages from God. Unfortunately, the enemy also employs this method so a lot of Christians are predisposed against these terms, particularly trances. However, trances are found throughout the Bible and are an authentic way God can reveal things to us. Trances are like visions except they involve being in the dimension of what you see. Dreams are commonly used by God as we are still and resting. Everyone has dreams but God often controls our dreams if we yield to Him. The same can happen with daydreams. And visions are where God shows you a picture or image. You may see it in your imagination/mind's eye or you may see it with your physical eyes. An example of a picture/image is Amos who saw a basket of fruit (Amos 8:1). Or it could be a moving vision like Amos's vision of locusts (Amos 7:1) or fire sweeping over the crops (Amos 7:4). Jesus told Nathanael "You will see greater things than these...Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man" (John 1:50-51). Some visions have sound like Joel's vision in Joel 2:1-11 where he heard different noises. Then there are open visions where you participate in the vision. Sometimes open visions employ all of your senses and sometimes a few, usually sight and hearing. An example of this is Peter's vision in Acts 10:9-15. Acts 10:10 says that Peter was in a trance when he had this open vision. Often there is a mixture where visions are superimposed over our surroundings or it fully consumes our vision.

We see spiritually through the "eyes of our understanding (or hearts)" (Ephesians 1:18). This is essentially our imagination but instead of visualizing something that is not there, God is allowing us to see in the spirit realm. I believe we need to sanctify our imagination which is used for this. In the flesh our imagination is used for "vain imaginations," (2 Corinthians 10:5) fantasies, etc. One way to sactify our imaginations is to meditate on visual passages in the Bible. We can begin to imagine angels around us and imagine Jesus with us when we pray or just go through our day. We can engage all of our senses in this pursuit and God can connect our senses and imagination to the spirit realm as we seek His face and for more of Him. The key is to use this out of our relationship with God and look to the Holy Spirit to guide and teach us.

TERMS

James W. Goll describes the terms used in the Old Testament as follows:

"Ra'ah loterally means 'to see,' particularly in the sense of seeing visions. Other meanings include 'to gaze,' 'to look upon,' and 'to perceive.' Chozeh literally means 'a beholder in vision' and can also be translated as 'gazer' or 'stargazer.'"[1]

James W. Goll describes the terms used in the New Testament as follows:

Onar:
In Greek, onar is the common word for "dream." It refers simply to the kind of dreaming we all do when we sleep. Everyday dreams are themselves visionary in nature because our minds generate images that we "see" while we are asleep. As the Bible makes clear, God can and does use these common dreams to communicate with ordinary people.

Enupnion:
Like onar, the word enupnion refers to a vision or dream received while asleep. The difference with enupnion is that it stresses a surprise quality that is contained in that dream.

Horama:
Horama is another general term for vision, meaning "that which is seen." It carries the particular sense of a "spectacle, sight, or appearance." New Testament examples commonly associate this word with waking visions. You can be a candidate for horama visions. Just tell the Lord of your desire to be a person who receives the spirit of revelation and sees visions. It is for today. It is there for the asking!

Horasis:
An horasis occurs when the Spirit who lives within us looks out through the "windows" of our eyes and allows us to see what He sees. Sometimes we are seeing in the natural or in the spiritual and sometimes it is both. When our spiritual eyes are open, sometimes our natural eyes can see into the spiritual realm. We may see dual images as visionary spiritual pictures are superimposed over the images we are seeing with our physical eyes.

Optasia:
Another visionary state found in the New Testament is denoted by the word optasia-literally meaning "visuality," or in concrete form, "apparition." Optasia has the very specific connotation of self-disclosure or of letting oneself be seen. The word always occurs in the context of someone seeing a divine or spiritual personage.

Ekstasis:
Ekstasis, from which our English word "ecstasy" is derived, means amazement, astonishment, or a trance. Literally, ekstasis means "a displacement of the mind," or "bewilderment." When translated as "trance," ekstasis refers to one being caught up in the Spirit so as to receive those revelations that God intends.

Apokalupsis:
With apokalupsis, we come to the most frequently used word in the New Testament to describe a visionary state. Apokalupsis literally means "disclosure," an "appearing" or "coming," a "manifestation." It carries specifically the sense of something hidden that has now been uncovered or revealed.

Egenomehn ehn pneumati:
The phrase egenomehn ehn pneumati literally means "to become in the Spirit," a state in which one could see visions and be informed or spoken directly to by the Spirit of God. Therein lies the secret to how we get revelation. We do it by first getting in the Spirit. The more we are filled with the Spirit and walk in the Spirit, the more we become one with the Spirit, and the more our eyes will be opened to see in the Spirit. He will give us the perception to look into the spiritual realm.[2]

In Revelation 3:18, God tells us, "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see." I believe God wants each of us to do this and He wants us to see into the spirit realm as people throughout the Bible did as we have a way through the blood of Christ to "come boldly to the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus said the Father sent Him for "recovery of sight to the blind" and this was not just for the physically blind. Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind" (John 9:39). I believe Jesus meant that He wanted to blind us to the world so that we could see Him and the Kingdom of God. Jesus also said "Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). We are commanded, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2). We need to be blinded to the world (or worldly visions like Saul in Acts 9) and renew our mind (and mind's eye) so that we can see the will of God. We do this through purity of heart, not loving the world, and renewing ourselves.

I have also spoken with people who are not Christians and have the ability to see into the spirit, astral project in trances or dreams, mentally move, bend and break any objects (even covered in your hand), create life from their blood or make a live copy of a dead animal, read minds and things like turned over playing cards, know things about the future, talk to the dead, use voodoo dolls to physically hurt others, and other things you won't believe. One friend of mine made over $3 million by manipulating roulette, dice and cards and is now banned from casinos. Demons assist some people to do things you would never believe. There are unbelievable things that people can do and this can either be done with God's power, the enemy's, or with abilities people are born with. I have witnessed these myself and know them to be true.

I believe that God wants every believer to see into the spirit realm, and even travel in the spirit realm to heaven and even other realms. God wants us to use the abilities and gifts we have for His glory and there are remarkable things being done by Christians who are willing to step out and let God use them in this way. For example, many Christians use these gifts to see people's demons and illnesses to remove them. Many people do this regularly, meeting with Jesus, learning hidden things, and letting God minister to their needs and the needs of others. Jesus told us all to deliver the captives, heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. He did what He saw the Father doing and we need to do the same. God is calling us to be much more than servants and to be about our Father's business. There is a whole new realm for you to experience!

FOOTNOTES:

1. Goll, James W. The Seer Expanded Edition
2. Goll, James W. The Seer 40 Day Devotional Journal and Discovering the Seer in You study manual